Mössbauer electric-field gradient study in FeS2 (marcasite)

Ratios of coincidence counting rates of annihilation gammas at 0 and 10m rad were measured for 16 atomic percentages of indium in liquid mercury. Theory of trapping of positrons at solute atoms and solute-vacancy complexes is applied. Complete angular correlation measurements for 14.3, 25, 35, and 50 atomic percentages of indium were also made and showed possible effects of solute-vacancy complexes on the smearing of the angular correlation distributions.     

Study of molecular surface coating on the stability of maghemite nanoparticles

In this study γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticle, surface-coated with increasing amount of oleic acid, have been prepared while the stability against particle degradation under laser excitation intensity was investigated. Maghemite nanoparticle was obtained via oxidation of magnetite nanoparticle, the latter synthesized by co-precipitation of Fe (II) and Fe (III) ions in alkaline medium. By varying the experimental conditions of surface-coating maghemite nanoparticles with oleic acid, samples with different grafting coefficient were obtained and investigated using X-ray diffraction and different spectroscopic techniques, namely Raman, Mössbauer, and infrared. The amount of oleic acid adsorbed on the maghemite surface was estimated via the carbon content obtained from elemental analysis.     

Search for a precursor crystal-to-crystal phase transition to amorphization in α-GeO2 and α-AlPO4 under pressure

Recent X-ray diffraction studies on α-quartz (SiO₂) by Kingmaet al [1], have shown the occurrence of a reversible, crystalline-to-crystalline, phase transition just prior to amorphization at ≈ 21 GPa. This precursor transition has also been confirmed by our recent molecular dynamics simulation study [2]. In order to investigate the possibility of a similar behaviour in other isostructural compounds, which also undergo pressure induced amorphization, α-GeO₂ and α-AlPO₄ (berlinite form) were studied using energy dispersive X-ray diffraction. In either of these materials, no such phase transition is detected prior to amorphization. The onset of amorphization and its reversal is found to be time dependent in GeO₂.     

Reliable Technique for the Determination of Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate by Crystal Violet in Relation to the Effluents of Durg‐Bhilai Region

A simple spectrophotometric method applicable to waste water bodies is developed for the determination of anionic surfactant (AS). An ion‐association complex is formed between an anionic surfactant Sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and a cationic dye Crystal Violet (CV). The dark blue colored complex can be easily extracted in organic solvent benzene. The absorbance of the complex in benzene layer is measured spectrophotometrically at maximum wave length (λ max) of 565 nm. Under the optimal experimental conditions, absorbance of the organic extractant obeyed Beer's law over the range of 0.75–10.00 μg mL^?1 of SDS and the LOD was 0.01312 μg L^?1. It is noticed that the present method is much easier, less time consuming and applicable to accelerated urbanization and industrial development found in newly formed Chhattisgarh state in Central India. The validity of the method was tested in regionalized industrial and domestic waste water runoff.     

Domain pattern in ferroelectric triglycine sulphate using pyroelectric effect

A method to study domain structure in ferroelectrics, using pyroelectric effect is described. Variation of pyroelectric signal from the surface of a triglycine sulphate crystal plate has been studied by scanning the surface of the crystal with a low wattage He-Ne laser beam. The integrated pyroelectric signal is due to two components, namely, (1) the primary component arising out of the change in spontaneous polarization with temperature and (2) the delayed component arising out of the possible polarization reversal. The component of an electric field along the ferroelectric axis due to thermal hemisphere within the crystal plate formed by the laser beam has been calculated and shown to exceed coercive field, making polarization reversal possible. The delayed pyroelectric signal is a measure of polarization reversal within the patch illuminated and its observed variation over the surface yields information of the domain structure.